Learn. Earn. Return.
What phase of your career are you in?
About a year ago, a friend introduced me to the idea of learn, earn, and return as a way to think about a career. Perhaps you’ve heard of it?
This is not a new concept in the world, but it was new to me. The idea is that there are three stages in your career: a time to learn, a time to earn, and a time to return—to give back.
In your 20s, you have a lot of learning to do. You explore different majors in college and different roles as you set out in your career. You’re trying to find your fit, grow your experience, and build your career.
Your 30s to mid-50s are peak earning years. By now you’ve started to settle into your career and have responsibilities. You’re saving up for a house or paying a mortgage, providing for a growing family, and saving for the future—a time when you choose not to or won’t be able to work.
Then something shifts
Somewhere in your late 50s or early 60s, you enter a new phase in your career, one where giving back feels more important than ever.
It’s not that you quit earning—or even learning.
But your priorities change. You no longer wish to grind it out day in and day out doing unfulfilling work with people you can’t stand.
You become less interested in taking on career-changing projects or next-level leadership roles. You’re less concerned about being in the spotlight. You begin to think that helping others achieve those things is way more interesting.
The joy of giving back
And that’s the state I find myself in more and more these days. While I’m arguably still in my late Earn years, I find it sparks real joy to spend time talking with early- and mid-career folks—as I did this past week.
A couple of days ago I got to chat with three incredibly smart and talented college students who are just beginning to think about their careers.
They asked thoughtful questions about imposter syndrome, balancing empathy and tough decisions (read Don’t Be An A*Hole), and how to maintain authority as a leader when you make mistakes.
“It’s not your job to be right all the time,” I told them. But that’s a topic for another post. 😉
Don’t apologize
A week before that conversation, I found myself talking to a mid-career professional who was struggling. They enjoy the people they work with and the opportunities their role affords them—but they don’t make enough money to buy a home.
While there are almost always trade-offs in your career—high tech salaries may come with more pressure and less stability than roles in other industries, for example—it’s okay to prioritize income in your 30s and 40s.
There’s no need to apologize for it or feel bad about it. It’s expected. Desirable, even.
That’s the stage of career that you’re in.
So go forth …
… and Learn, if that’s where you’re at in your career. Take every opportunity to learn new skills and try new things. Travel. Job hop. Company hop. This is your chance to find what works for you—and what doesn’t.
When you’ve reached your peak Earn years, go all-in. Prioritize yourself. Build wealth now and for the future. To be clear, this doesn’t always mean picking the largest paycheck.
I know plenty of folks who maximized their retirement options by committing to a career of public service in government, education, or the military, and retired at a (relatively) young age with a liveable pension.
And as you near the end of your working years, give yourself permission to want something different.
You may find yourself wanting to step backward on the career ladder—moving from manager to individual contributor or from employee to contractor. You may decide you actually enjoy having more flexible time and are willing to earn less to have a better quality of life.
You may find you actually enjoy taking vacations. Who knows?
In these years, don’t forget to give back—to Return the mentorship and opportunities you were given and help a new generation of leaders take the helm.
Bonus read: Your career path will be messier than you’ve been told, and that’s okay.
